Climate Change

Beliefs about how risky something is — from legalizing concealed handguns to allowing carbon pollution — are often shaped by deep cultural forces. The theory of “cultural cognition” suggests that individuals will interpret evidence, no matter how well supported by science, in ways that reinforce their connections to those with whom they share a worldview.

From the Scholars Strategy Network, written by Debra Javeline, University of Notre Dame.

Journalists, bloggers and communicators of all kinds often find themselves in a contentious debate over the truth behind global warming. The reasons that “skepticism” or “contrarianism” and the like persist in public discourse are numerous, and there is a great deal of research literature on this question.

A sustained period of fast economic growth nations such as China, Japan and South Korea has corresponded with an ever-increasing demand for energy.  To meet this demand, these countries have invested significantly in green technology.  The significant progress made is underscored in 2009 as China is reported to have passed the U.S. in clean energy investment and finance.

Biomass — wood chips, tree parts and agricultural waste burned to generate heat and electricity — currently generates more 50% of the United States’ renewable energy production.  Because biomass is carbon neutral, it has significant advantages over fossil fuels.

As the economic output and populations of China, India and Brazil grow, the countries’ energy consumption will continue to rise. Because traditional energy sources such as oil and coal are both nonrenewable and limited, these countries are pushing to develop new forms of alternative energy. Given that the United States remains the highest per capita consumer of energy, the need for sustainable energy sources is considered by many domestically to be a vital national interest.

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 storm with maximum winds of 125 mph, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The cost of the ensuing damage to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast was more than $80 billion; it is generally considered to be most destructive tropical storm in U.S. history in terms of property damage, followed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Ike in 1998.

While the full impact of climate change has yet to be felt, agencies such as NASA, the EPA, and NOAA have chronicled its initial effects over the last 30 years. In addition to rising sea levels and shrinking glaciers, evidence includes modifications in species habitats. Coral suffer as temperatures rise, while other less welcome species can flourish.